Tuesday, January 14, 2014

My view on AZ Gov. Brewer's State of the State: Capture of CPS to Gov's office, ending confirmation process

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX -- Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's embarrassment at Child Protective Services’
failure is understandable, as is her desire to change the agency. I wish her
good luck.

She should’ve started CPS reform by firing her pick to
oversee the agency, Clarence Carter, but she hasn’t, a troubling indicator of
Brewer's weakness here.

Brewer's move to capture CPS into the Governor’s office, and
grant herself exclusive authority to appoint the director, ending Senate
confirmation and participation by the minority, harms the public interest for
democratic checks and balances. Certainly the legislature has also failed to
protect Arizona's most vulnerable kids, but Arizonans may suffer more cronyism
with CPS run from the Governor’s office with less oversight and transparency.

An executive branch usurpation is an
executive branch usurpation, no matter their political party. Governors always
want more power. But power grabs seldom benefit the common good long term.